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Thursday, August 11, 2011

2011 Book List: Book #6

This week while waiting at my appointments, I finished a tiny little book (booklet?): Classical Education and the Homeschool. Douglas Wilson can be a bit sarcastic in his writing & it turns some people off. We personally find him refreshing & enjoy it. But be warned- there were 2 lines in the book that might offend, so I recommend the booklet with a little bit of hesitation.

I thought I would share a few quotes/thoughts that really hit me:

One of the primary purposes of classical education is to equip the students to learn for themselves.You hear this phrase a lot with classical educators. In the beginning of our educational journey it was confusing to me but I think (yeah!) that I'm finally getting it. AND I'm seeing it beginning to be displayed in part in some of our children. BIG yeah!

Education is the process of selling someone on books.Oh, that's good! And, it's not just reading but WHAT you read that is important.

Parental instructors must be prepared to provide that instruction.I must be a reader myself. They suggest a book every 1-2 weeks. HAH! But I was convicted to read more to prepare myself for instructing the children, especially as they hit the logic & rhetoric stages. I'm hoping to read several of the books they suggest in their reading list.

The task of the Christian parent is to teach his children in such a way that all thoughts are brought under the headship of Christ.THIS is why we have them home. Contrary to what our culture would have us believe, there is no neutrality & we are to be about the business of subduing this earth for our Lord.

Other good parts included a discussion on the virtues of imagination, which some christians struggle with, and the different parts of the trivium, as well as a description of latin & logic.

If you're researching classical education, I still would recommend Perrin's booklet first. But this might be worth your time too. It was a good reminder that classical & christian (and even Protestant christian) can go together, contrary to what some people think.
- Heather